My aunt got a new dwarf hamster for my cousin for Christmas. I have been keeping watch until Christmas morning and then I will surprise my cousin. I have put the hamster in its new enclosure, which is really small. My aunt did not know, so please do not be frustrated. The hamster has been very inactive and has been staying in place for most of the day. This is the second day of the hamster being here. Is it possibly sick, considering the lack of movement? He has been in his little tube, just sitting there sleeping.
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
It could be sick but not necessarily.
Hamsters are usually depressed once they are moved to a new enclosure. Smell is their primary sense so when they don't recognise the smell around them, they are upset. Once they are depressed, they get in their nest and stay there for very long periods.
Furthermore, you said it is a very small enclosure, which probably further pushed the poor creature into depression. EU requires the base area of the cages to be 0.12 square meters with a height of at least 30 cm. These are the minimum, not optimum values.
As a rule of thumb, when you move a hamster, carry some of the woodshavings from its old enclosure to the new one, to carry some familiar smell to the new cage.
Don't worry, depression is not permanent. Give him plenty of food and napkins/tissue papers to build his own nest. He will eventually get used to his new surroundings.
Make sure that your hamster is back to its proper enclosure and make sure that it is not too small.
